Courses

Research Interest

General focus of Dr. Saviola's laboratory:
Regulation of a Virulence-Associated Acid Response to Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. The bacterium that causes tuberculosis, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, can sense environmental stresses and resist them in order to survive in the body. Creating an acidic environment is one way the body controls bacterial infection. Bacteria can respond to this defense by altering the activity of many of their genes. I have identified in M. tuberculosis a gene, lipF, that is turned on in response to acid. I am studying the basis of this acid response, and anticipate it will provide the groundwork for the eventual identification of a general mechanism by which Mycobacterium tuberculosis can resist acidic stress. To this end I have defined a minimal DNA region upstream of the lipF gene which is transcriptionally upregulated by acidic stress. In addition, I am investigating a nearby gene, Rv3488, as its gene product binds to the lipF promoter region indicating that it may serve as a transcriptional regulator of acidic stress. Information about how virulent M. tuberculosis can respond to environmental stresses that commonly occur within the host could be used to develop therapies that target these mechanisms and make Mycobacterium tuberculosis more sensitive to the immune system's host defenses.

Saviola B and Richter L. The Acid Inducible LipF from Mycobacterium tuberculosis localizes to the Cell Wall/ membrane Fraction of the Bacterium. Keystone Symposia: Tuberculosis: From Lab Research to Field Trials. Vancouver, British Columbia, 2005

Saviola B and Richter L. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis promoter lipF is induced at a pH encountered in macrophages. US Japan Meeting on Tuberculosis, Seattle Washington, 2005